Aberystwyth scientists offer free frailty course

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13 October 2016

Older adults in the park

Sports and exercise scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) are launching a MOOC course on recognizing and preventing frailty in older adults.

The free online course starts on October 29th and will be part of EITHealth, one of the largest healthcare initiatives worldwide, aiming to promote the future conditions for healthier living and wellbeing of people across Europe.

Delivered by Dr Marco Arkjesteijn a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics and his colleague Rhian George, a 2016 graduate and newly qualified Sports and Exercise Scientist at IBERS; the course will focus on what frailty is, why it matters and how frailty is recognized and prevented.

Dr Arkesteijn said “As one gets older, the physical and mental capacity tends to decrease. This can result in disability, such as an inability to walk independently, or to get dressed without help from others.

However, often the changes that happen with ageing occur slowly up to certain point, after which the decline can occur quickly. That is often described as ‘having frailty’ and means becoming more vulnerable.”

Frailty is increasingly being recognized as a clinically relevant syndrome, and one that should be addressed and prevented. Frailty prevention includes educating the wider public, and that is what this course will do. This MOOC endeavours to raise awareness of frailty, and showcase that frailty can be preventable and is reversible.

Rhian George said “The ‘Recognizing and preventing frailty MOOC’ includes easy to understand information and videos, and advice on how to prevent frailty via healthy eating and being active.”

For more information and to sign up, please click here, or search Google for ‘Recognizing and preventing frailty MOOC.’